There is a lot going on at Laird Norton Wealth Management (LNWM) these days, all of it good. So it is not surprising that the Puget Sound Business Journal (PSBJ) prominently features LNWM, one of the three largest wealth management firms in WA State, in its Wealth Management issue out today (PSBJ subscription required for access).
The most important news: Kristen Bauer has joined LNWM as our new soon-to-be CEO. She is personable, energetic, and now keenly focused on getting to know our clients and staff — remotely for the time being — as she prepares to take over the reins from current CEO Bob Moser in mid-May. Bob is retiring in June after more than a decade of guiding LNWM through a period of growth and transformation.
Prepared for More Change and the Opportunities It Presents
While no one expected a global pandemic to hit as we transitioned to new leadership (Bob Moser announced his June 2020 retirement last fall), this is just one of the many curve balls that Laird Norton Co., the owner of LNWM, has experienced over its 165-year history. And LNWM as a company is well-prepared for what lies ahead.
The PSBJ article, titled Laird Norton’s wealth management wing welcomes new CEO during uncertain times, is based on a interview with Kristen Bauer, Bob Moser and Jeff Vincent, President and CEO of the Laird Norton Co. Jeff points out that the Laird Norton Co. has been through many crises in the past, including the Civil War, two world wars, and the 1918 influenza pandemic. Covid-19 is the latest, but certainly not the last.
Kristen will be taking over LNWM at a time of great national uncertainty. But as she and Bob Moser pointed out in the PSBJ interview, we stand ready as a firm to capitalize on new opportunities. For one, LNWM is in good financial shape, and we have had no layoffs or furloughs. In fact, we have been hiring.
Gino Perrina, Chief Investment Officer at LNWM, was interviewed for a PSBJ article on investment strategies. And LNWM’s Kristi Mathisen, Managing Director of Tax and Financial Planning, writes about how to manage stock options and other equity compensation during volatile markets, also in the PSBJ’s Wealth Management issue.
